Frances E.T. Underwood

Frances E.T. Underwood, age 81, of Colorado Springs, Colorado passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 surrounded by her immediate family. Frances was born in San Diego, California. She was the youngest of three daughters of Bruce Walter Thompson and Frances Annie Martini Thompson. Midge, Frances’ family nickname, grew up mostly in Normal Heights section of San Diego. She graduated from Hoover High School and earned her BA from San Diego State in Home Economics.

Upon graduating, Frances elected to take a one-year dietician internship at University of Washington in Seattle. She joined the University Temple Methodist Church college group, the Wesley Club, to get to meet people. At her very first gathering, Frances introduced herself to all the members. When meeting her future husband, Eugene Kenneth Underwood (Gene), he proudly proclaimed that Frances' name should be Fran. She loved it! From that point on, she was known as Fran. A few months later, she asked Gene to help with a mechanical issue with her car. Soon thereafter, they were engaged after a relatively short courtship. They married on December 27, 1964, at Fran’s childhood church, San Diego’s Normal Heights Methodist Church. The wedding was officiated by both Gene's father, Rev. Kenneth H. Underwood, and Fran's childhood minister.

They lived most of their 47-years together in the Newcastle/Renton area, where they developed a passion for community service. Fran loved her work as a Dietician at Overlake Hospital. She elected to join Gene by becoming an Amateur Radio (HAM) operator. With these skills, they planned, lead, and provided communication support for many marathons and bicycle treks including a few two-month treks across the US. She loved being the sweep driver for these events to ensure that every participant safely reached the finish line. Outside of HAM radio, Fran coordinated two dozen Santa Clauses as part of the American Heart Association’s Santa with a Heart annual fundraiser. She would even drive a Santa to these events and occasionally stepped in as Mrs. Clause. Fran volunteered at Bruce's middle school as a nurse’s aide and, later, worked as an election official for over a decade. She had a strong sense of community and love of God and family.

Fran had one child, Bruce Underwood, who she shared her love of coin and stamp collecting, as well as her love of community service through HAM radio, church youth groups, and Boy Scouts.

Fran loved to travel. She visited all 50 US states, nearly all the Canadian provinces, and countries including Great Britain and Israel. After retiring, she and Gene took RV trips to the Pacific coast to be with their Winnebago owners’ group, visited family, and drove up the Great Alaskan Highway to Alaska. Later in life, she loved periodic cruises to Alaska, Baja California, and the Caribbean.

Fran leaves behind her sister, Marian Martin, as well as her only son, Bruce, daughter-in-law, Melissa, and grandsons, Scott and Connor.

Burial service will be held with immediate family at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs on March 22, 2023. Memorial services will be held in the Newcastle/Renton area in early June to celebrate her life with friends and family. The Underwood family requests memorial gifts in Fran’s honor for the American Heart Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Swan-Law.com for the Underwood family.